MLB Draft: Yankees picks

[26 Reasons to Hate Us]

Thought I would make a thread to discuss the Yankee selections as they come.

#21. Ian Kennedy RHP Southern Cal 6-0 195

Early in the season, we saw the player many had labeled the safest pick in the draft, dominant through three starts.

Opponent IP H ER K BB
Long Beach State 6 5 3 7 1
Florida International 7 3 0 10 2
Kansas 8.2 1 0 13 3


However, what followed was a string of mediocrity, when Kennedy proved as flappable as anyone in the country. He hadn't suffered such a slump in all his years as a Trojan.

Opponent IP H ER K BB
Hawaii 7 7 3 5 2
Georgia 6.2 9 3 11 2
Stanford 6.1 9 5 2 1
Oregon State 6 6 1 5 5
Stanford 6.1 9 5 6 2


But with one start, the stock of Ian Kennedy was back. Pitching against Brandon Morrow and the rival California Bears, Kennedy went ten innings to earn his first win in quite a few outings. He showed great control and pitchability in addition to proving his valuable "innings-eater" label.

This week, unfortunately, Kennedy could not keep scouts' spirits high. Pitching in the thin air of Tempe, Arizona, Kennedy had his worst start of the year: 11 hits and 8 earned runs in 5.1 innings. Despite his best efforts, Kennedy has been pronounced a first rounder through all of 2006's trials and tribulations. But as the last two weeks have shown, single starts will have plenty of impact on how much slot money Ian is allotted.

Without question, each member of this year's draft class comes with a serious number of caveats. Here's one attempt at balancing the positives and negatives with a few players making movement on draft boards...

http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2006/04/pluses_and_minu.php

Total Season Numbers:
W-L 12-3 | ERA 2.54 | 158 K/38 BB in 117 IP

Following in the footsteps of fellow Trojans Tom Seaver, Randy Johnson, Barry Zito, and Mark Prior...Consensus All-American...Pac-10 Pitcher of the Year...Two-time pitcher for Team USA...Although stuff is no better than average for a major league hurler, the right-hander exhibits outstanding command of four pitches...Fastball ranged from 89-91 all night...Throws strikes and changes speed...His stretch position is similar to Mike Mussina...Top ten draft pick unless his advisor and soon-to-be agent Scott Boras scares off potential suitors.

http://baseballanalysts.com/archives/2006/02/super_weekend_1.php

USC Bio:

2006
Kennedy should be a lock to be a first-round selection as a 2006 junior in the June major league baseball draft as one of the nation's top collegiate pitchers...named 2006 Preseason All-America first team by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association.

Summer
For the second straight year, Kennedy pitched for the U.S. National Team...became the fifth Trojan to play in back-to-back seasons for Team USA, joining Jacque Jones, Eric Munson, Anthony Reyes and Jeff Clement...went 4-1 with a 2.89 ERA...in five starts, he allowed nine runs and 11 hits in 28 innings with 10 walks, 35 strikeouts and a .118 opponents' batting average...tossed seven no-hit innings against Chinese Taipei on July 15 in Taiwan, striking out nine and walking two in a 1-0 victory.

2005
Kennedy established himself as the latest in a long line of top-flight pitchers at USC as a 2005 sophomore after earning consensus All-America first team honors...named All-America first team by Baseball America, Collegiate Baseball and the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association...became the eighth Trojan to be named as Pac-10 Conference Pitcher of the Year...went 12-2 with a 2.54 ERA (117 IP, 85 H, 33 ER, 38 BB, 158 SO, .201 opponents' batting average)...his 158 strikeouts place him fourth on USC's single-season all-time list...his 12.15 strikeouts per nine innings ratio was the fifth-best in school history...in Pac-10 games, he was 7-1 with a 2.12 ERA (59 1/3 IP, 42 H, 14 ER, 17 BB, 88 SO, .200 OBA)...lasted eight and 1/3 innings on June 4 in a 6-4 win against host Long Beach State at the NCAA First-Round Regional, scattering eight hits and four runs with six strikeouts...went eight innings and earned the win against No. 25 Stanford on May 27, allowing one earned run on five hits with two walks and nine strikeouts...struck out 14 in seven innings on May 13 against Washington State, allowing one run on four hits with two walks...on May 3, he earned his second Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week honors of the season after striking out 14 batters in eight scoreless innings at No. 9/10 Arizona on April 29, allowing just three hits against a Wildcat team that was batting .328 prior to the game...in the 13-0 shutout, Kennedy and the Trojans gave Arizona starter John Meloan his first loss in 18 career starts...he defeated four front-line pitchers (all on the road): John Meloan (Arizona), Ricky Romero (Cal State Fullerton), Cesar Ramos (Long Beach State) and Tim Lincecum (Washington)...recorded two "victories" in two days on April 20 at No. 2 Cal State Fullerton and April 22 at Cal...in the resumption of a halted game from Feb. 20, Kennedy went eight against against the defending national champion Titans, allowing two runs on six hits with a walk and 10 strikeouts...pitched seven innings on Feb. 20 and one inning on April 20 for the win...improved to 7-1 on the season at Cal with seven innings as he allowed two earned runs with no walks and seven strikeouts...on April 9 against UCLA on a televised broadcast, Kennedy threw his first complete game with a three-hit shutout, walking two and striking out a career-high 15 batters in a 9-0 victory...earned his first Pac-10 Pitcher of the Week honors for his efforts against UCLA...struck out a then career-high 13 batters on April 1 at Washington in 6 2/3 innings...struck out six straight batters in a 2-1 win against the Huskies...took the loss on March 4 against Texas A&M at the Maxwell Auto Group Round Rock Classic, but opened the game by striking out the first seven batters he faced and finishing with 10 strikeouts for the game...struck out the side in the ninth inning in his first appearance on Feb. 8 against San Diego State and outdueled 2004 USA National Team cohort Cesar Ramos in a 4-3 win on Feb. 12 at No. 17 Long Beach State...against the Dirtbags, Kennedy went six innings, allowing just four hits with one unearned run, two walks and six strikeouts...named as a Baseball America Preseason All-America third team selection.

http://usctrojans.cstv.com/sports/m-basebl/mtt/kennedy_ian00.html

[jsinger121]

both players have been falling of late.

[26 Reasons to Hate Us]

#41 Joba Chamberlain SP Nebraska

Career Stats:
W/L ERA IP H R ER BB K
16-7 3.93 208.0 175 85 76 67 232
http://www.huskers.com/downloads1/10060.htm?ATCLID=238743&SPSID=105&SPID=33&DB_OEM_ID=100#4

First-Team Preseason All-American (Collegiate Baseball)
Second-Team Preseason All-American (NCBWA, Baseball America)
2005 Third-Team All-American (Collegiate Baseball)
2005 First-Team All-Big 12
2005 Big 12 Newcomer Pitcher of the Year
Second-Team ABCA All-Midwest Region
Big 12 Pitcher of the Week (3/1/05 & 4/25/05)
Collegiate Baseball National Pitcher of the Week (3/1/05)
2006 Outlook: After a breakout 2005 campaign, junior Joba (pronounced Jaw-buh) Chamberlain returns as one of the top pitchers in college baseball • Earned All-Big 12 and All-America honors in his first season at NU, going 10-2 with a 2.81 ERA in 20 appearances, striking out 130 in 118.2 innings • Former transfer from Division II Nebraska-Kearney will look to become the second Husker pitcher taken in the first round of the MLB First-Year Player Draft and the first since two-way performer Alvie Shepherd in 1995 • Spent part of the summer pitching for the Beatrice Bruins and Coach Bob Steinkamp, helping the Bruins to a ninth-place finish at the NBC World Series • Went 5-0 with a 1.59 ERA in seven appearances with the Bruins, striking out 63 in 45.1 innings and allowing just 32 hits • Tabbed as the top Major League Baseball prospect at the NBC World Series • Possesses a durable frame and the ability to consistently throw in the mid-90s with an exceptional curve ball among an assortment of pitches • Didn’t pitch during the fall, but continued to earn the respect of his teammates, leading during practices and offseason conditioning • Will be counted on for both his abilities and leadership in 2006.

2005: Chamberlain turned in one of the most dominant pitching years in school history, going 10-2 with a 2.81 ERA in leading NU to the College World Series • Earned first-team All-Big 12 honors and third-team All-America accolades as he tied for ninth nationally with 130 strikeouts and 28th nationally in wins • Ranked among the Big 12 leaders in seven categories, including strikeouts (130, second), wins (third), innings pitched (118.2, third), strikeouts/nine innings (9.86, fourth), starts (18, fifth), ERA (ninth) and opponent batting average (.218, 10th) • Recorded five double-digit strikeout games and became only the fourth Husker pitcher to record 100 strikeouts in a season • Was his best against the Huskers’ toughest opponents, going 4-1 with a 2.17 ERA in seven starts against ranked opponents, striking out 56 in 49.2 innings and holding them to a .203 average • Was 2-0 in the NCAA Tournament, picking up victories over Miami and Arizona State • Earned NU’s first-ever College World Series win, allowing three runs on five hits over seven innings in a 5-3 Husker win over No. 8 Arizona State on June 17 • Out-dueled Hurricane ace and first-round pick Cesar Carrillo in a 3-1 Super Regional win over No. 13 Miami on June 10 • Allowed one run on seven hits while fanning 13, despite battling leg cramps over his final four innings • Pitched well against Oklahoma in the Big 12 Tournament, allowing three runs over seven innings in a 6-3 Husker win, avenging an earlier loss to the Sooners • Was 3-2 with a 3.38 ERA in nine conference starts • Earned a win over Kansas State on May 20, going six-plus innings, allowing four runs on six hits while fanning six in a 5-4 victory on May 20 • Was the hard-luck loser in a 2-1 loss to No. 17 Missouri on May 6, allowing two first inning runs on four hits over 5.2 innings of work • Suffered his first loss of the season in the series opener at Oklahoma on April 28, allowing two earned runs on six hits in 6.2 innings in a 5-1 setback • Allowed one run on six hits while striking out 10 over eight innings to pick up the victory against No. 8 Baylor on April 22, earning Big 12 Player-of-the-Week honors • Tossed the first complete game of his career, scattering four hits and striking out five without a walk in a 2-1 victory at Texas A&M on April 15 • Held No. 1 Texas to one earned run on five hits over nine innings, while striking out 10 Longhorns in a no-decision on April 8, a 6-3 win that eventually went 16 innings • Went eight innings, allowing two runs on four hits against Seton Hall on March 18, an outing where he fanned 12 and retired the last 11 hitters he faced in a 6-2 Husker win • Held No. 7 Rice to one unearned run on four hits while striking out nine in 6.1 innings on March 4 • Turned in a dominant performance against New Mexico, allowing two infield hits over seven shutout innings • Struck out 15 Lobos (without a walk) - the highest single-game total by a Husker since two-time All-American Shane Komine had 16 punchouts against Missouri in 2000.

http://www.huskers.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=104&SPID=33&DB_OEM_ID=100&ATCLID=107702&Q_SEASON=2005

[Beckett95]

Ian Kennedy rhp Southern California CA
At his best, Kennedy pitches off his fastball despite a short frame and shows a knack for making the big pitch. Above-average fastball command has allowed him to dominate college hitters (as evidenced by a 158-38 strikeout-walk ratio in 2005) and in two summers with Team USA. Kennedy has regressed in 2006, however, becoming much more hittable (.254 average against versus .201 last year) and vulnerable to big innings. Scouts report Kennedy's fastball sits more frequently from 86-89 mph, rather than 89-92 as in the past. Even when he has his velocity Kennedy has missed his spots, leaving balls up in the zone, and his changeup--a plus pitch in the past--has taken a step back as well. His slurvy breaking ball needs to be tighter and find the strike zone more often. Complicating matters, agent Scott Boras represents Kennedy. Scouts can't agree where he merits being picked but share the belief it will take the right fit of a scout who has followed him since he starred with Rockies prospect Ian Stewart in high school, and an organization comfortable with his size and adviser.

[AlexanderTheGreat13]

Yankees might have reached for Kennedy(Still a solid college pitcher) but they made up for it with Chamberlain if he is healthy.

[jsinger121]

Yankees surprised me by taking so many college players.

[26 Reasons to Hate Us]

Rest of the picks:

104. N.Y. Yankees, Zachary McAllister, RHP, Illinois Valley Central HS, Chillicothe, Ill.
134. N.Y. Yankees, Colin Curtis, RF, Arizona St.
164. N.Y. Yankees, George Kontos, RHP, Northwestern.
194. N.Y. Yankees, Mitchell Hilligoss, SS, Purdue.
224. N.Y. Yankees, Timothy Norton, RHP, Connecticut.
254. N.Y. Yankees, Dellin Betances, RHP, Grand Street Campus HS, New York.
284. N.Y. Yankees, Mark Melancon, RHP, Arizona.
314. N.Y. Yankees, Casey Erickson, RHP, Springfield College.
344. N.Y. Yankees, Jeffrey Fortenberry, LF, Baylor.
374. N.Y. Yankees, Nicholas Peterson, RHP, Tampa.
404. N.Y. Yankees, Daniel McCutchen, RHP, Oklahoma.
434. N.Y. Yankees, Donald Hollingsworth, LF, UC Riverside.
464. N.Y. Yankees, Gabriel Medina, RHP, Emporia St.
494. N.Y. Yankees, Paul Patterson, RHP, Northern Kentucky.
524. N.Y. Yankees, David Robertson, RHP, Alabama.
554. N.Y. Yankees, Paul Howell, LHP, American Christian Academy, Northport, Ala.

[Moose]

Off-the-topic

The Devil Rays' pick is named Evan Longoria. :lol:

[jacksonianmarch]

Rest of the picks:

104. N.Y. Yankees, Zachary McAllister, RHP, Illinois Valley Central HS, Chillicothe, Ill.
134. N.Y. Yankees, Colin Curtis, RF, Arizona St.
164. N.Y. Yankees, George Kontos, RHP, Northwestern.
194. N.Y. Yankees, Mitchell Hilligoss, SS, Purdue.
224. N.Y. Yankees, Timothy Norton, RHP, Connecticut.
254. N.Y. Yankees, Dellin Betances, RHP, Grand Street Campus HS, New York.
284. N.Y. Yankees, Mark Melancon, RHP, Arizona.
314. N.Y. Yankees, Casey Erickson, RHP, Springfield College.
344. N.Y. Yankees, Jeffrey Fortenberry, LF, Baylor.
374. N.Y. Yankees, Nicholas Peterson, RHP, Tampa.
404. N.Y. Yankees, Daniel McCutchen, RHP, Oklahoma.
434. N.Y. Yankees, Donald Hollingsworth, LF, UC Riverside.
464. N.Y. Yankees, Gabriel Medina, RHP, Emporia St.
494. N.Y. Yankees, Paul Patterson, RHP, Northern Kentucky.
524. N.Y. Yankees, David Robertson, RHP, Alabama.
554. N.Y. Yankees, Paul Howell, LHP, American Christian Academy, Northport, Ala.


Interesting draft now 6 months after the fact. A few things about that draft.

Kennedy is still being ranked very highly by some people (Scout.com has him as the #6 yankee prospect ahead of Chamberlain by 5 spots whereas BA has him at 5 one spot behind Joba). Of note, scout.com made their top 50 list prior to the hawaiian winter league and admits that the Chamberlain should have been placed higher after his 46K 3BB performance. Kennedy's SR comes out in a week, Joba's was just posted today and it really looks like the yankees got a steal. Joba is expect to hit A+ ball in Tampa and may be in the majors by the end of 08/early 09.

Kennedy had an up and down Hawaiian league, but he did K a very large amount of batters. He will start the yr in A+ ball at Tampa and is considered a fast mover, but his ceiling is not as high as Joba's.

Another steal of the draft was Betances, who in short order, had his mechanics adjusted and is throwing in the upper 90s as an 18 yr old. He also has two plus secondary pitches but is considered to be a little raw and likely 3 yrs away. His control in rookie ball was extremely surprising this early, but Nardi Contreras was said to have never seen a young kid adjust so quickly.

Kennedy/Betances/Chamberlain all made BA's top 5 prospects for the yankees, and that is saying something in a farm system that has Hughes, Clippard, et al. The ranking would have been moved back one slot if the list came out after the Sheffield deal as Sanchez would be the #3 or 4 prospect in the system behind Hughes and Tabata.

Of note, other guys who impressed out of the draft pool are Melancon, McCallister, Kontos, Norton and McCutchen. McCutchen was suspended for Ritalin usage during the season after having an impressive debut, as he did not get it cleared through the MLB. He does have ADD after all (dont we all!). Of this group, McCallister is the highest ceiling prospect. A HS pitcher with a huge frame and good makeup (father was a scout, he grew up around MLB ) who came out of HS with a mid 90s fastball and a plus plus changeup. His ceiling is ace, the others in this group are not. Melancon is a closer of the future who was a late draftee due to elbow concerns. He had TJ surgery a few months ago and should be on track for A+ ball in 2008.

The other pitching prospects include Casey Erickson who had a rough time in low A ball, Nick Peterson who dominated as a closer at SI but had a major issue with control, Medina had a good early run at the lower levels and may end up in Tampa to start the yr, Patterson made it up to Charleston before the yr ended, and Robertson was a late sign, but a very solid one. Robertson was drafted very late because he was a C-2 player with 2 yrs of eligibility left in college. He hasnt played a game in the minors, but is considered a late steal.

The hitting end looks a bit crappy, although the INTL signing of Montero and a strong DSL class from last yr will potentially make up for that. Curtis projects nothing more than a 4th OF. Hilligoss is a very light hitting IF who may rely solely on good patience and average skills due to his complete lack of power. Fortenberry is the only other position player of note, and he projects as a 4th OF at best, maybe as a AAAA player.

So overall, the 2006 draft was a solid draft for the yankees on the pitching end. Betances, Chamberlain, and McCallister all have ace potential, Chamberlain the closest to reaching it. Kennedy was a reach, but a very safe pick. He along with Kontos and Norton project as solid middle rotation pitchers. Unfortunately, the big lefty Del "Paul" Howell looks like he has committed to the U of Alabama rather than sign with the yankees. The only real disappointment in the short season came from Casey Erickson who had a near 5 era in rookie ball ( a predominantly pitchers league). The rest have made the proper advancement to be in the plans for the yankees minor leagues in 07. No clunkers as of yet.

[CrespoBlows]

Interesting draft now 6 months after the fact. A few things about that draft.

Kennedy is still being ranked very highly by some people (Scout.com has him as the #6 yankee prospect ahead of Chamberlain by 5 spots whereas BA has him at 5 one spot behind Joba). Of note, scout.com made their top 50 list prior to the hawaiian winter league and admits that the Chamberlain should have been placed higher after his 46K 3BB performance. Kennedy's SR comes out in a week, Joba's was just posted today and it really looks like the yankees got a steal. Joba is expect to hit A+ ball in Tampa and may be in the majors by the end of 08/early 09.

Kennedy had an up and down Hawaiian league, but he did K a very large amount of batters. He will start the yr in A+ ball at Tampa and is considered a fast mover, but his ceiling is not as high as Joba's.

Another steal of the draft was Betances, who in short order, had his mechanics adjusted and is throwing in the upper 90s as an 18 yr old. He also has two plus secondary pitches but is considered to be a little raw and likely 3 yrs away. His control in rookie ball was extremely surprising this early, but Nardi Contreras was said to have never seen a young kid adjust so quickly.

Kennedy/Betances/Chamberlain all made BA's top 5 prospects for the yankees, and that is saying something in a farm system that has Hughes, Clippard, et al. The ranking would have been moved back one slot if the list came out after the Sheffield deal as Sanchez would be the #3 or 4 prospect in the system behind Hughes and Tabata.

Of note, other guys who impressed out of the draft pool are Melancon, McCallister, Kontos, Norton and McCutchen. McCutchen was suspended for Ritalin usage during the season after having an impressive debut, as he did not get it cleared through the MLB. He does have ADD after all (dont we all!). Of this group, McCallister is the highest ceiling prospect. A HS pitcher with a huge frame and good makeup (father was a scout, he grew up around MLB ) who came out of HS with a mid 90s fastball and a plus plus changeup. His ceiling is ace, the others in this group are not. Melancon is a closer of the future who was a late draftee due to elbow concerns. He had TJ surgery a few months ago and should be on track for A+ ball in 2008.

The other pitching prospects include Casey Erickson who had a rough time in low A ball, Nick Peterson who dominated as a closer at SI but had a major issue with control, Medina had a good early run at the lower levels and may end up in Tampa to start the yr, Patterson made it up to Charleston before the yr ended, and Robertson was a late sign, but a very solid one. Robertson was drafted very late because he was a C-2 player with 2 yrs of eligibility left in college. He hasnt played a game in the minors, but is considered a late steal.

The hitting end looks a bit crappy, although the INTL signing of Montero and a strong DSL class from last yr will potentially make up for that. Curtis projects nothing more than a 4th OF. Hilligoss is a very light hitting IF who may rely solely on good patience and average skills due to his complete lack of power. Fortenberry is the only other position player of note, and he projects as a 4th OF at best, maybe as a AAAA player.

So overall, the 2006 draft was a solid draft for the yankees on the pitching end. Betances, Chamberlain, and McCallister all have ace potential, Chamberlain the closest to reaching it. Kennedy was a reach, but a very safe pick. He along with Kontos and Norton project as solid middle rotation pitchers. Unfortunately, the big lefty Del "Paul" Howell looks like he has committed to the U of Alabama rather than sign with the yankees. The only real disappointment in the short season came from Casey Erickson who had a near 5 era in rookie ball ( a predominantly pitchers league). The rest have made the proper advancement to be in the plans for the yankees minor leagues in 07. No clunkers as of yet.

McAllister had an ERA over 3.00 and a rather low strikeout rate for someone you claim to be an ace already. Betances has pitched less than 25 innings. Do you think you're being overly optimistic? Wait, fuck that. You are being way way too optimistic. Most of these players haven't touched A-ball, and you're already hailing at as the greatest draft ever? Jesus, are you reaching. Melancon got absolutely skull fucked in the HWBL, which was before his Tommy John surgery. I'd wait to make sure he's on his way back before we proclaim him Mariano Jr.

What's even more laughable is you're lauding a 24 year old right-hander for his great performance in a rookie league. College pitchers should dominate that league, especially ones that old. Norton's another four year college pitcher. Oh, but weluvdehyanks.com says this about Norton, "omg, he therw a fastballer n it wuz hard so he def cy young witout question."

Give them a few years, before you annoit them Nolan Ryan's, and Honus Wagner's.

[jacksonianmarch]

Crespo, I am calling ace potential. All of this is potential.

[jacksonianmarch]

just to hammer home my point, Betances, Chamberlain and Kennedy all made it to the top 5 in an already impressive yankee farm system (especially for RHP). Obviously somebody thinks the draft was a good one.

BTW, on Melancon, he was shelved for 2 months in college last yr with an elbow injury. This was why he fell. He tried to pitch through it in the minors and it just didnt work. He strengthened it, went to Hawaii and tweaked it again, requiring surgery. He hasnt been right all yr.

[CrespoBlows]

just to hammer home my point, Betances, Chamberlain and Kennedy all made it to the top 5 in an already impressive yankee farm system (especially for RHP). Obviously somebody thinks the draft was a good one.

This is coming from the same baseball source who once ranked Brandon Moss the second best prospect in the Red Sox organization. I take those writer's words with a grain of salt. Good job for Betances and Kennedy. Now let's see them dominate higher levels.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying this because they are Yankee prospects. I'm not sold on Bowden or Buchholtz, either. I need to see dominance at the high levels to call them aces. (Papelbon, Hughes, etc.)



BTW, on Melancon, he was shelved for 2 months in college last yr with an elbow injury. This was why he fell. He tried to pitch through it in the minors and it just didnt work. He strengthened it, went to Hawaii and tweaked it again, requiring surgery. He hasnt been right all yr.

I'll comment on Melancon when his elbow is healed in 2008.

[jacksonianmarch]

crespo, scout.com is made of 30 different rankers for the league. Sox diehard ranks the sox. Pinstripes plus rates the yankees. And BTW, Baseball america has similar rankings, and they are pretty reputable.

[CrespoBlows]

crespo, scout.com is made of 30 different rankers for the league. Sox diehard ranks the sox. Pinstripes plus rates the yankees. And BTW, Baseball america has similar rankings, and they are pretty reputable.

Usually one guy is assigned to a specific team. The baseball america list is created by one guy.

Again, I want to see these guys dominate higher levels, before I call any draft solid.

[jacksonianmarch]

I agree completely. Dont get me wrong, Crespo, I have said many many times that I am very hopeful for our kids below AA, but I dont start considering them in my teams plans until they get to AA. For the 3 guys in the draft who the scouting sites are billing as future aces, the ETA for AA is:

Betances- starts in Charleston, may finish in Tampa. May hit AA by the middle of 2008.
Chamberlain- starts in Tampa, may be in Trenton by mid 2007
McCallister- will start in Charleston, will likely not see AA until 2009.

as for our first round pick, Kennedy will start in Tampa and may have some AA time this yr.

So of the 4 highest touted pitchers out of that draft, 2 might actually show something in the higher levels this yr.

[jacksonianmarch]

Now that we are two yrs past this draft, lets take a look...

1. Ian Kennedy- shot through the system in his first full yr. Made it to the bigs last yr where he was good in 3 starts. Started the yr in MLB where he struggled early, then got hurt. He is now in AAA, dominating once again and should be the next option for callup should one of our other starters go down. Great pick

1a. Joba Chamberlain what is there to say, came up to the bigs as an elite reliever during a playoff run in yr 1, and now is turning into our ace before our eyes. Great pick

3. Zach McCallister was a HS signee. 6'6" kid with a big frame and some power. He has seen his FB velocity jump this yr to mid 90s and is seeing a jump in effectiveness. He dominated Charleston and is now dominating Tampa. He could very well be brought up to AA before the season ends, and if all things work out, he could be a rotation option as a 21 yr old by Sept 2009. Great pick

4. Colin Curtis was a college draftee who reminded some people of David Murphy. Solid bat, not plus power but a good stick, good D and decent speed. He dominated the lower levels and dominated Tampa last yr. It is AA he is having trouble with. As a college draftee, he has limited time to prove himself and the clock is ticking. He's expected to restart in Trenton next yr and if he stalls there again, he might see himself in another org. TBD

5. George Kontos was another college draftee who just turned 23 this yr. He was a dubbed a reach by some, but he has shown them all wrong. Rumored to be part of the Nady deal, I am glad he stayed. His delivery is full tilt and his mechanics are still not totally refined, but nobody will doubt his stuff. Now in AA and continuing to show power will see his stock continue to rise. His future, though, looks like its out of the pen. Good pick

6. Mitch Hilligoss was a college draftee as well out of Purdue. Noted for his ability to hit anything, he made a name for himself last yr when he set a then MiLB record with his 38 game hitting streak. This yr has been a different story. After his promotion, he isnt hitting and this is a problem for a guy with a decent but not spectacular glove, good speed, but no power or eye to speak of. If he doesnt turn it around in Trenton next yr, he could be in another org. Granted, his name was included in Johan talks, so he does have some value TBD

7. Tim Norton was another college draftee with a huge arm. he showed up in SI and dominated. Unfortunately, he blew out his shoulder, needed recon surgery and should return by ST next yr. But he likely will have been passed by a lot of players and his relevance and big arm may be a thing of the past Shoulda done your homework pick

8. Dellin Betances was the big money HS draftee who thus far is showing that there are some growing pains associated with being tall. 6'9 and 230 pounds, the kid has power. He can throw the ball high 90s and already possesses a plus curve. But repetition has been his issue. He has K'd 10 per 9 this yr and has a BAA less than .220, but the walks are killing him right now. But tall guys take a long time to get it right and this kid is no exception. He'll be in Tampa and his upside is still top of the rotation. Great pick

9. Mark Melancon was another big money closer who everyone knew needed TJ. He got it, and is back now, throwing harder than he ever did. He also possesses 2 plus off speed offerings and is in Trenton. The Nady deal should open up a roster spot for him in Scranton and we may see him in NY this yr. Great pick

Picks 10 and 12 are pretty much irrelevant now. #11 was Fortenberry, who smacked 20 homers last yr in Charleston, but is now so bad in Tampa that he is a parttime player. 9-11 were poor selections

13. Daniel McCutchen was an interesting college pick. He was a senior who was 24 at the time of draft. He came into SI and dominated, but lost 50 games due to ritalin (he didnt get it cleared through the league first). He came back the following yr and dominated Charleston and Tampa. Started this yr in Trenton and dominated there. Was called up to AAA where he initially struggled, but since has been dominating as well. He was a big part of the deal that sent Nady and Marte to NY. In terms of return on investment, this was an Exceptional pick

Picks 14 and 15 arent even with the organization anymore.

16. Paul Patterson is a tall, lean reliever who dominated SI and Charleston. Unfortunately, he went down with an injury (I think it was a pretty serious leg injury) and is out for the yr. I expect him to be back next yr in Tampa as a reliever. For a 16th round selection, he has a pretty solid chance of making the bigs with his size and repertoire. TBD

17. David Robertson was a draft eligible sophomore and signed late. He started last yr in Charleston but didnt stay there long. He finished the yr in AA. His combined ERA that yr was 0.96, and he had these eye popping numbers. 84IP 45H 113K 32BB. he started this yr off with a bang in Trenton and eventually made his way to the bigs. Thus far, he has appeared in 11 games, throwing 12.1IP and compiling a .167BAA, walking 4 and striking out 14. Great pick

18 was Del Howell, who we drafted as a tall lefty pitcher, but we lost him to Alabama where he sucked as a pitcher and is now trying to hit. From 19 on, we dont have anyone worth mentioning. But this was one hell of a draft class.

[Optimist]

Off-the-topic

The Devil Rays' pick is named Evan Longoria. :lol:

Well, two years later, it seems to have worked out for them. :lol:

[jacksonianmarch]

The 2006 draft, the one that will live in infamy. Also, this is the same year the Yankees signed Montero out of the IFA ranks.

Ian Kennedy is now an ace in the desert and will probably be top 3-5 in the NL Cy Young race.

Joba Chamberlain was becoming a shutdown reliever before blowing out his UCL, but he should come back as a top notch reliever.

Zach McAllister is on the cusp of breaking the Indians rotation as he dominated AAA this yr. He's already made 2 spot starts

Colin Curtis was our #4 OFer last yr for a stretch, he's been out the whole yr with an arm problem

George Kontos recovered nicely from TJS and shoulder surgery and is now in our pen as a Sept callup. He'll be a contributor in the pen next season.

Mitch Hilligoss was dealt to Texas and is out of baseball

Tim Norton blew out his shoulder twice, was on the verge of contributing this yr before injuring the shoulder again. He didnt need surgery this time around. He still has a strong 1-2 punch out of the pen, but he'll get a chance with another org this off season

Dellin Betances is up to AAA now and has looked utterly dominant for the most part. He's a top pitching prospect in baseball, just needs to keep the BBs down

Mark Melancon was dealt for Lance Berkman and is now their closer.

Daniel McCutchen was dealt to the Pirates in the Nady and Marte deal. He's been a solid middle reliever for them this yr

Paul Patterson injured his foot and arm and was never heard from again

David Robertson has been the balls in the Yankees pen.

Out of that group, you have a Cy Young contender in Kennedy, 3 shut down relievers in Melancon, Chamberlain and Robertson, a good MLB reliever in McCutchen, a top pitching prospect in Betances, and 3 other guys who are likely to be on a big league roster come opening day 2012 (Kontos, McAllister, and Curtis). Couple that with the signing of Montero and that was a hell of a draft

[Meh]

Jim Callis said the Sox draft in 2006 was better than the Yankees, but BA rated the Yankees as better drafters from 2006 to 2010(as a group).... which puzzles me cause 2006 was our best draft and 2007, 2008 and 2009 were kind of lack luster drafts.

[jacksonianmarch]

Callis has been hot and cold with his draft analysis for awhile, IMO. He mostly pans the Yanks picks until he sees them the following season, when he gushes over them. The sox 2006 draft did net them Bard and Masterson, but the rest flopped. Anderson was in there too, but he's a flop now.

[jacksonianmarch]

Also, I still think 2007 can work out for us, although it isnt nearly the haul 2006 was. Romine should see a lot of big league time in 2012 and Brackman started to look like a shutdown reliever by the end of it. Laird is also still there. But thus far, yes, 2007 was a pretty bad draft yr.

[Station 13]

Callis has been hot and cold with his draft analysis for awhile, IMO. He mostly pans the Yanks picks until he sees them the following season, when he gushes over them. The sox 2006 draft did net them Bard and Masterson, but the rest flopped. Anderson was in there too, but he's a flop now.



Kalish was part of the 2006 draft, Reddick as well. The former is a better prospect. He's still just 23 and look pretty good in his stint last season. Love the defense and base running. I could see him hitting 20+HR and steals 30+SB over a fullseason.